Chapter 34
Love, people constantly say there's no stronger force on Earth than Love. And right now, little Clarke needs to believe it's true. She hasn't left Lexa' side since the little brunette collapsed. It's very late, past her sleeping time, but she has no intention to go anywhere. It doesn't matter how she's constantly trying to keep her eyes open. It doesn't matter how tired she feels. All that matters, it's that her love has to reach Lexa. That's why she's holding Lexa's hand because the big love she feels for her dear Lexa has to be strong enough to save her.
"Clarke, don't grip on her hand so strongly. Your strength, remember…?"
The little blonde snaps out of her trance when she hears the warning of her grandma Eliza. The old Danver was right, Clarke needs to control her emotions because the last thing Lexa needs right now, it's to wake up with a broken hand. Because she's gonna wake up, right? She's gonna be fine, right? Eliza deeply sighs when she hears Clarke's questions. The dear blonde is looking at her with deer's eyes, with pure love, imploring for hope. But, can they really give her that? Can she tell her everything is going to be okay when she doesn't know?
"Clarke, I…"
She can't say it, She can't promise a happy ending because what if the worst happens? What if the little brunette doesn't get better? Eliza doesn't want to be pessimistic, but she cannot ensure how this will go. So, she says nothing because she cannot promise something which is out of her hands. She wishes she could, she definitely wishes she could say Lexa will be fine because after all, she's fond of the little brunette too. How couldn't she? She's Alex's kid, she's her granddaughter too. She's the little girl who always jumps into her arms when she plays a visit to her oldest daugther. The girl who always puts a blanket over her when she falls asleep on the sofa, so she cannot get cold. The little brunette who calls her 'grandma' with nothing more than Love. And, recalling the sweet voice of Lexa, calling for her, it brings tears to Eliza's eyes.
"Grandma?"
Now, it's Eliza, who's zoning out. Lost on the souvenirs. Yeah, so beautiful memories they have created with little Lexa, so much Love they have for her, and yet, it's heartbroken to even imagine their love is not strong enough to help her. Maybe that's why Eliza doesn't answer Clarke's questions, she just hugs her, hoping the little one will find solace in her arms, just like she's getting it, right now, hugging her.
Sometimes all we need is a hug, a warm embrace can do more good than one thousand words. And, a hug is all Kara can give to her wife right now.
"She's gonna be okay, right, darling? She has to be okay…"
Kara nods, she wishes she could say something more hopeful, but, right now, she can't. Not after seeing the news of Red Daughter. The moment they landed, the first thing which caught their eyes, it was the big news on the big screens of the airport.
'Lex Luthor saves the day!'
It's what all the channels on TV were saying and the couple cannot believe what they were watching. Lex, portrayed as a hero on national TV, was a sick joke. It made Lena sick, but it made her feel even worse to notice how the TV showed an unconscious Red Daughter in the arms of Lex, at his mercy. They played the whole thing on TV, something that no one finds it odd besides Kara and Lena.
"He planned this! Don't you see?! He's playing you all! He wanted the world to see him as a hero and he got it!"
Lena angrily shouts to the TV, and to all the people who were clapping to the 'heroic' act of her brother. This was so messed it up, Lena has no words to describe how angry she feels right now because once again, her manipulative brother is getting away with it and she has no way to stop him. The dear CEO feels so angry at the world for believing in such a poor act. Kara feels angry too, but she feels more sad than angry.
The blonde never thought it could be so easy to twist the truth. As a journalist, she feels betrayed by the media she once vowed to believe in. But, this is not journalism, this is not how you spread the news. This is false advertising going viral just because those in charge don't make the time to corroborate the facts. And, it's sad to realize that the pursuit of the truth is no longer the press' goal. Making money, getting a high rating is the new driver for those who promised to always strive for accuracy. And, it's sad to think about how low the press institute has fallen.
The drive home was very quiet. None of them say a word about what was happening in the media and all the social media. The trend in twitter was #Lexthesavior and they couldn't care less.
"I need to pass by L-Corp, too, to pick up some things before we go to Midvale, Kara"
Kara nods and she quickly packs some things for them and the kids before stopping by Lena's lab so they can go to join the rest of the family.
"You can save her, right, Lee? You can help Lexa?"
Lena deeply sighs, there's nothing she hates more in this world than false promises. False hope is something she's against to. That's why she cannot promise she can save Lexa, because to be honest, she doesn't know. Her knowledge of Harun-El and its properties is still limited, so no. She cannot promise she will make it alright, but she can promise she will do everything in her power to make it better. And, that's more than enough for Kara.
With all the bags and equipment, Lena was sure Supergirl couldn't fly them there. And, Kara proposed to fly the car to Midvale, but, of course Lena said no, after all, Supergirl is right now portrayed as a terrorist and the last thing they need now, it's to drag attention to them. So, Lena drives them to the little town, because as tired as she's, she will not let Kara drive her Mercedes.
"I'm a good driver, you know"
"No, you're not, darling"
Lena chuckles, recalling how she almost felt she was going to die when she left Kara drive her car once.
"It was a highway, Lee. You're supposed to go faster on highways"
"Yeah, but not faster than the speed limits! It was like you were trying to break the sound barrier!"
Kara pouts, she doesn't like to be reminded of her recklessness, especially when she meant no harm. She just struggles to not act as when she's flying when she's behind the wheel. After all, when you are used to flying at high speed, without limits in the air, well, it gets tricky to think about the limitations of speed when you're driving a car.
The drive to Midvale went smoothly, they made just one stop for gas and food, Kara is used to making more stops for food, but right now, they need to get to Midvale as soon as possible. So, her big appetite can wait for later. They finally arrive and you could see it in their faces, the exhaustion. That's why the first order of the day for them, it's a nap.
"But, mom, we…"
"I'm not asking, Kara. You look tired, you're no good for anyone like this, get some rest"
Lena tries to protest too, she is a Luthor, she can work with a lack of sleep is what she says till Lillian comes into the picture to lecture her too, because if Lena can be a very stubborn Luthor, her mother can be even more stubborn.
"I can't believe putting those two to bed was harder than managing my little heirs when they have to sleep"
Eliza chuckles, she finds cute this new version of Lillian, she has changed. The old woman might still struggle to show affection for others, but, the old Luthor is far to be the woman she was once. Heartless, cruel, with no intention of helping others; Lillian is no longer that person because, right now, she is the one who has slept the least in order to find a cure for Lexa.
"You should sleep too, Lillian"
"Nonsense! I'm fine, I…"
"Yeah, well, you might be as stubborn as your daughter Lena. But, I'm not dropping this. You too, go to bed, now!"
Lillian gasps, feeling outraged to be treated like a kid. But, if Eliza has any superpower, it's to know how to handle very stubborn people. After all, she got lots of experience raising Alex & Kara all by herself.
"Do you want me to tuck you into bed?"
Eliza teases and Lillian knows she's joking, but even then, the old Luthor walks away with a flushing face. The doctor Danver smiles as she notices the blush on her cheeks. The teasing and sassy comments between them is something normal in their day-to-day. She's familiar with this routine they have created between them, but, another woman in the family is not familiar to see Dr. Danvers flirting, on the open, with a very grumpy Lillian Luthor.
"Are you two a thing, mom?!"
"What?!"
Now, it's Eliza's turn to blush. Alex is not judging, but, she's curious to know where all this teasing is going.
"You're seeing things, Alex. Maybe you should get a nap too"
"Ahah"
Alex smirks, it's cute to see how hard her mother tries to deny whatever is growing between her & Lillian. It's a good distraction, for Alex. The dear woman has been in a dark place since Lexa got sick, so, anything which could make her laugh or smile is welcome. After all, worry and fear for the worst is not going to help anyone, especially Lexa.
"Hi, there. are you sleeping well?"
Alex mumbles to her child as she looks at her, peacefully sleeping. She's stroking Lexa's hair with tenderness as tears roll over her cheeks. It's killing Alex to see her like this. They had to sedate Lexa, the seizures were getting stronger and longer. So, they put her to sleep, hoping it would slow down whatever the Harun-El is doing to her tiny body. But, looking at the last analysis Lillian ran this morning. It seems that their attempts on keeping Lexa alive are not enough.
"The Harun-El is acting as some kind of energy. And, your body is acting like an overcharged battery because our bodies have a limited capacity to store energy, and well, everybody knows what happens when a battery is overcharged…"
Lexa can simply die like any battery which reached its limits. If they don't find a safe way to drain all the energy the Harun-El is generating inside her, she will die. And Alex wishes she could stop it, she wishes she could save the day, just like she does every time in Lexa's bedtime stories. Because for the little brunette, there's no better hero than Alex. And more than anything, Alex would love to believe it, she would love to have the faith Lexa has on her, but she can't. Not when she's looking at her kid dying.
No parent should watch its child die. That's not the natural order of things, it's what Alex says to herself, but, can she do something about it?! No, she has no clue how to fix it, but, sometimes, we don't need to fix things. Sometimes, all we need to do, it's to be there for those we love. And that's what Lena's kids are trying to do the moment they find their moms are back.
They rush to the room where Lena and Kara are sleeping. Jumping into the bed, they immediately wake up the dear Luthor. The blonde is still snoring like a truck, so, it's very certain she's not going to wake up soon.
"Hi, sweeties…"
Lena sits on the bed, her voice sounds sleepy, raw but mostly sad. There's sadness in her eyes, the kids notice it, even when their dear mother tries to hide her worries behind a smile. Maybe, she's sad because she needs her black substance to start the day, it's what the kids think.
The 1st thing Lena needs when she wakes up, it's coffee. Anyone knows that, even her kids. That's why Alec and Izzy fly, trying to reach the cabinet of cups while Clarke flies towards the coffee machine in Eliza's kitchen. They are not supposed to fly around, but they see no harm in using their powers now. After all, what better pretext they have to use their powers than make coffee for Lena.
The kids try to not make a mess, but, let's be honest, they are Kara's children so of course they will make a mess in the kitchen. Lena chuckles when she catches them in the act. Clarke was able to put in motion the coffee machine, but she forgot to put coffee in it, that's why the black substance is transparent. The kids find it odd, but, it's even more odd to not add anything to a cup of coffee.
They need to cheer up their mom, Lena looked sad and down this morning when they climbed into the bed to wake her up. And, they hate to see Lena sad, they have to do something about it, and they strongly believe there's no better way to cheer someone than adding a little sweetness in their life.
The kids know Lena drinks her coffee black, no sugar, And, just like Kara, they believe it's an atrocity! Everything tastes better when it's sweet. So, they decide to add something to the cup of freshly brewed coffee, which is actually just hot water. Each one of them is going to add something to the mix and the first one who decides to add his sweet touch it's the only boy in the family: Alec.
"Oh, no, Alec! That's too much sugar, it's…"
It's too late, regardless of what Lena has to say, the little boy already emptied the entire jar of sugar into the cup. The kids ask Lena to turn around and look away as what they are doing for her is supposed to be a surprise. Lena nods, she pretends to leave, but she stays close. Close enough to see how Alec smiles, feeling happy with his accomplishment. And, while he's proud to convert the cup of hot water into a big hill of sugar, his twin, Izzy, it's literally adding the cherry on the top when she adds some cherries she collected the other day with Eliza. They were supposed to save them to make a pie later, but Izzy is sure that Lena needs them more. So, the hill of sugar gets covered by dozens of cherries.
The twins shake hands, this is perfect! Their work is done, but something is missing in their creation, it's what their big sister thinks. Clarke is showing her serious look. Kara always says it's Lena's look, and the dear CEO smiles thinking that her kids got something good from her.
Just like when Lena is concentrating to solve a problem, Clarke is determined to find what is missing in this hill of sugar and cherries.
"OH! I know what we can add!"
An idea pops up and her eyes light up. Lena frowns, a little worried to see what could be this brilliant idea. Because, just like Kara, her first born has the weirdest ideas to mix food like spreading jam over scrambled eggs, an idea which Kara supports at 100% because according to her blonde wife, everything tastes better when you put jam on it. Or, what about the time when Clarke and Kara did a taco with just Cheetos and chips in it? The dear hero was so proud of their invention that she was seriously thinking they should create a franchise with it, but, thank God, Lena was able to persuade her to drop the idea.
Anyway, Kara has a very peculiar way to mix food, it's what Lena kindly always says about her wife's culinary creations, and Clarke has the same talent. That's why Lena looks worried when she sees her little kid, flying fast to the food pantry, looking for something.
"Clarke…?"
Lena slowly approaches and then, she makes a little jump backwards when Clarke flies fast back to the kitchen island, with the missing ingredient.
"It's ready!"
The little blonde happily says, confident with her contribution. But, her little siblings are not liking at all what she added to the mix. Alec and Izzy get a feeling of nausea and heaving stomach the moment they recognize the green ingredient: Kale. Ugh! This is worse than the kryptonite! What the hell Clarke was thinking? It's what Alec & Izzy wonders as they dramatically react to it.
"Just like their mother"
Lena laughs, their reaction to Kale is the same as Kara. It's funny to realize how much of Kara and her is in the kids. It's sweet and cute. But, it's sweeter to hear what Clarke has to say about why she's adding Kale to their preparation.
"Mommy loves Kale, We need to give her what she loves even if we don't like it"
Clarke's words touch a soft spot in Lena's heart. Just like Kara, the kids are putting others' needs before them and Lena couldn't feel more happy and proud. Somehow, her faith in the future is renewed, she finds hope for a brilliant tomorrow. And, that's why her face is glowing now, as she approaches her kids.
"Mommy! Mommy! Ta-Da! For you!"
"For me? Well, what a nice way to start the day!"
The three kids nod with a bright smile as they present their hill of sugar, cherries and Kale. Lena chuckles, she's smiling, of course she cannot drink or eat this, but she's looking happy and that's all the kids wanted. To make her happy, so, it was a mission accomplished for the kids! They cheered up their mom, and now it's Lena's turn to cheer up someone else.
"Alex"
Sobbing, with the eyes red for all the crying, showing nothing more than despair, the DEO Agent turns her head towards her sister in law, who's smiling at her when she says.
"It's gonna be okay. We will save her. We will save your world"
Lena hates false promises, but this is not one of them. This is not a false hope. She will save Lexa, she will save Red Daughter and she will save their world from his maniac brother. Because after all, Love is the strongest force in this world and there's no stronger love than the one Lena has for her family… for her world.